Pop!_OS

Pop!_OS 24.04 is an Ubuntu-based Linux distribution developed by System76, built around the company's own COSMIC desktop and a strong focus on productive everyday use.

The biggest reason to look at Pop!_OS today is COSMIC. Earlier releases were known for a heavily customized GNOME desktop, but System76 has since built its own environment instead. The COSMIC desktop is designed around Wayland, written largely in Rust, and puts a strong emphasis on fast navigation, flexible workspaces and automatic window tiling.

That tiling system is one of the features that gives Pop!_OS its personality. Windows can organize themselves automatically as you work, which is especially handy if you regularly juggle terminals, browsers, editors and documentation across several workspaces. You can still switch back to a traditional floating layout whenever that suits the task better.

Graphics support also remains one of the practical strengths of Pop OS Linux. System76 provides a dedicated NVIDIA installation image with the proprietary driver already included, while laptops with hybrid graphics can use integrated graphics for lighter work and call on the dedicated GPU when more performance is needed.

Underneath COSMIC, Pop!_OS keeps the huge Ubuntu software ecosystem, but it does not simply wait for every part of its stack to move at Ubuntu's pace. System76 maintains important parts of the distribution independently, including the desktop and hardware-related components, giving Pop!_OS 24.04 a more current feel than its LTS foundation might suggest.

Installation is relatively straightforward too, with full-disk encryption available directly from the installer and a recovery environment that can help repair or reinstall the system if something goes wrong.

Pop!_OS used to be easy to describe as a polished Ubuntu alternative with particularly good NVIDIA support. That is still part of its appeal, but COSMIC changes the picture considerably. System76 is now building its own complete Linux desktop experience, making Pop!_OS especially interesting for developers, creators, gamers and anyone who wants a modern, productivity-focused desktop without having to assemble every piece themselves.